Google uses Facebook Home announcement to plug other Google services

Whether or not Google (GOOG) is actually happy that Facebook (FB) has just launched software intended to take over Android home screens is certainly up for debate. But the company is doing its best to put on a happy face following the announcement, and it tells VentureBeat that Facebook Home “demonstrates the openness and flexibility that has made Android so popular.” That said, Google couldn’t resist nudging its own services into the conversation by saying that Home is “a win for users who want a customized Facebook experience from Google Play — the heart of the Android ecosystem — along with their favorite Google services like Gmail, Search, and Google Maps.” In other words, Google is sending a gentle reminder to potential Facebook Home fans that their phones will still have plenty of Google services for them to use even if they choose to clog up their home screens with status updates.